The Forgotten Ones
by Alc Fluteo
Summary: After the attack on the Cargo ship, the only surviving Black Mage meets up with Areia Steiner, and together they start the journey to save Gaia. But they'll find out more about Gaia and themselves than they ever thought possible...
1. The Cargo Ship Incident

Alc: Hello Final Fantasy IX fans! (Hears crickets chirping)

Alc: Hello? I know there are still some FF IX fans out there right? Well there should be because FF IX rocks...no matter what people say. Anyways this is a story that I thought up the other day when I started replaying FF IX. This is going to be my first Final Fantasy story so please don't flame...I'll try and do my best. Also the black mage that we meet in this Mr. 278, (I don't think that number was taken in the game...if it was just forget the game character had that number), otherwise known as Toric is of my own creation and if you want to use him or Areia Steiner you have to ask me. (And yes I know Adelbert Steiner's last name is...well...Steiner, but Areia's last name phenomenon gets explained later.) Please Read and Review when you get done reading...I'll try to post up more chapters soon but with school almost over the teachers are pilling on homework so I'll try to update soon. Also have you ever heard the MIDI of Garnet's theme? If you have imagine that whenever Areia comes into the picture...I love that song! - And it just fits Areia so well. I also always imagine Steiner's theme...cause she's a lot like Steiner in more ways than just having the same last name! ;)

**SUMMARY: After the incident with Black Waltz No. 3, Vivi Orunitia thought that all of the black mages that fell off of the cargo ship were dead, but one has survived. Awakened from the mindless zombification that he and the other black mages were put under, this black mage finds himself in a world where he is not so easily accepted. He meets a young girl named Areia Steiner. As the black mage travels with Areia he realizes that she is just as unaccepted as him if not more so. Mr. 278, now known as Toric, decides he wants to know why, but Areia does not know the answer. When they hear of strange happenings going on all over the Mist Continent they decide to investigate. Little do these two know that they are always one step behind Zidane and his group. And so, Areia and Toric start an adventure to find out the origins of the strange happenings...but in the process they find out more about Gaia, and themselves, than they ever thought possible.**

* * *

She walked on as the mist slowly drifted around her. Her brown waist length hair was tied back at the nape of her neck with a gray ribbon and was swaying slightly from side to side as she walked. 

She was dressed in a green shirt, with a pair of gray pants, and brown boots. Her eyes were a steely gray that reflected the world around them, and also reflected the sorrow of loneliness. She had a broadsword strapped to her back and was currently making her way across the Norlich Heights to Dali, a small town in the vicinity of the Ice Cavern.

Areia Steiner had been traveling for weeks on end, often camping out in the wilderness and calling a moogle whenever she had the chance. Her journey was just starting and it already seemed like she had been traveling for years. She was nearing the outskirts of Dali when there was suddenly a commotion from above. She looked up and saw a nearby Cargo Ship blasted with a strong Thunder spell. She watched, mesmerized as shards of glass flew through the air creating rainbows of light. Then she noticed the falling cargo. They seemed to be barrels and boxes of some sort. Suddenly lightening struck the objects causing them to shatter and release their precious contents. She stood in utter horror as she saw the bodies slowly falling to their doom.

"Bodies?" She thought as she watched the blue and purple-jacketed bodies fall through the air, their pointed hats barely staying on their heads. She noticed that a few of the crates and barrels had not busted open. She turned to look at the shuddering Cargo ship and noticed a smaller ship flying near it with a strange blue figure with dark blue- feathered wings charging up another Thunder spell at the ship. Suddenly from the much larger Cargo ship a strong blast of fire was hurled into the smaller ship. The engine exploded and the blue winged figure was sent crashing into the South Gate.

"My...God! Who could do such a thing?" Areia clenched her hands into fists as she shook in fury. "No one should harm innocent people...I just hope the others on that Cargo ship were all right. Others...OH NO!" Areia ran to where she last saw the bodies falling. The dust from the collisions of bodies was thick enough that Areia couldn't see a few feet in front of her face.

When the dust settled she gasped in shock. Dozens of broken bodies were lying on the ground from their impact, unmoving. She stepped cautiously towards one and felt to see if it had a pulse. She sighed sadly and stood up slowly as she shook her head. She should have known that after a fall like that no one could survive. She looked up at the sky and sadly watched the clouds float by. Suddenly a pointed mage's hat, like the one all of the bodies had, floated down and landed in front of her feet. She bent down and picked it up. She looked it over and dusted it off.

"So...what happened to your owner?" She looked at the hat a little longer and then set it securely on her own head. "How about I be your owner now, huh?" Areia felt sort of silly talking to a hat, but somehow it made her feel more at peace. She looked to her left and saw that there was an unbroken crate lying on its side. She slowly walked over to it and realized that it wasn't severely damaged. She stuck her fingers in a space in the boards and pulled as hard as she could. The boards popped off and Areia fell. She stood up and saw a body slide out of the crate. She rushed over and caught the body before it could fall fully out of the crate.

She laid the body on the ground and looked it over. It was the body of a black mage...just like the others. He was wearing a dark blue coat, with white and aqua striped pants and had on a pair of brown shoes. He wore thick leather gloves on his hands.

"To hide the magic symbols I bet...that's why I need to start wearing some." She looked at her own hands and saw the faint beginnings of the magic symbol. **_(Note: Watch the cut scene where Vivi blasts Black Waltz No. 3, you'll see a symbol below him as he's casting magic...that is the symbol on Areia's hand. And I also believe that that symbol is on the hands of every magic user, mostly black mages, because it enables them to use magic...just my own little thought, now back to the story.)_** His pointed hat had a rip or two in it from the shards of glass that had shot through the wood of the crate.

Areia bent down to see if he had a pulse. She put her first two fingers where the side of his neck should be and felt a faint pulse.

"He's alive? This is one amazing mage." She got down on her knees and started to concentrate. A glowing aura surrounded the black mage as Areia's hands glowed a whitish-green. When the light faded Areia stood up and brushed herself off. She watched as the black mage slowly opened his amber eyes.

"Wha...Where am I?" He asked quietly as he pushed himself up on his elbows and looked around at all of the bodies. When he saw his dead comrades he yelped and scooted away from them. Areia stepped forward slowly.

"Easy easy! It's okay...you're alright." The black mage looked at her with fear in his eyes.

"D-Did you do this to my friends?" Areia shook her head no. The black mage tilted his head a little. "The-Then who did?" Areia shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not really sure. I just saw..." She gulped. "I just saw you and these others...falling." The black mage nodded in understanding. Areia extended her hand.

"Here let me help you up." The black mage looked at her hand warily and then slowly he grasped it in his own and was pulled to his feet by Areia. He dusted himself off and made sure his hat was still on.

"Thank you...uh..." He started when he realized he didn't know her name.

"My name's Areia Steiner...what's yours?" She asked. The black mage appeared to be deep in thought.

"I-I don't really have a name...I do have a number though! It's number 278." Areia crossed her arms over her chest.

"No. 278 huh? Uh is it okay if I give you a name?" Number 278 shook his head yes and Areia thought. "Hm...let's see...AH HAH, I've got it! I'll call you Toric. Is that okay?" No. 278 thought.

"Yeah I like that name...Toric...from now on my name's Toric!" He started chuckling a little and Areia smiled.

"Um...where exactly are you going? I, well to tell you the truth...I have no where to go...I'm completely lost...and I just woke up...so can I travel with you Areia?" Toric asked as Areia thought.

"Sure you can come with me...I always wanted a traveling partner anyway. By the way I'm going to that village, Dali, over there." Areia pointed to Dali a little ways away.

"That's good...maybe I can get some supplies there. I don't have a weapon or anything." Areia nodded and the two started off towards Dali.

FLASHBACK

"Mommy...Daddy...Where are you?" A 12-year-old Areia said as she walked through the deserted streets of Burmecia. She had lived there for only a short time...though some of the natives didn't like her family, thinking that they were spies to Alexandria or Lindblum, she and her family had previously lived in Treno. Areia specifically like to talk to a young Bermecian woman named Freya who, along with her boyfriend Fratley, would go on adventures. Areia loved hearing the tales of knights and mages and wanted to be a knight when she grew older.

Areia walked up a flight of stairs to the small house that she and her parents lived in. Areia looked around but couldn't find her parents anywhere. She heard a strange noise upstairs and went into the bedroom. There she found her mother lying on the ground. Areia rushed to her side.

"Mommy! Mommy are you okay?" Her mother didn't move as Areia shook her. Tears started rolling down Areia's cheeks. Behind her she heard a groaning noise and looked to see her father struggling to sit up.

"Daddy! Daddy what happened?" Areia hurried over to her father and helped him sit up. Areia could tell he was extremely weak and was losing blood fast.

"Areia...Areia listen to me. I want you to go to Alexandria." He shuddered as another surge of pain went through his body. "I want you to go to Alexandria and ask to see a man named Adelbert Steiner...Areia he's your Uncle, and the only family you have left. He left my parents and I a long time ago to become a knight. He's currently the Captain of the Knights of Pluto in Alexandria." Areia's father took a necklace from around his neck and handed it to Areia. "When you find him...give him this...it's been passed down through our family for generations. It's given to the one's who become knights in our family...but it was given to me by my mother...she wanted me to have it instead, though, I still do not know why." More tears were rolling down Areia's face as she urged her father not to die. Her father smiled and patted her hair. Slowly he closed his eyes and breathed his last breath. Areia cried into his chest. Suddenly she heard a noise and looked up.

A cloaked figure stood on the balcony facing her. Areia gasped and got up, away from her father and mother's dead bodies. A deep ominous laugh resounded from the black cloak.

"Poor little girl...you're parents have left you and now my plan for Terra's assimilation is beginning. And you my dear..." The man looked at her and stepped forward slowly. Areia backed away and hit a broadsword that was leaning against the wall. She looked at it and hastily grabbed it and held it up in front of her. "You my dear...will be the first soul to go to Terra!" The man laughed as he lunged at her. Areia stood still with fear and then at the last minute as the man was fixing to strike she swung the broadsword at him, cutting him across the arm.

The man grabbed his arm as blood oozed out of the large gash. "I see you have fighting spirit in you my dear...maybe I'll let you live a little longer. And when your soul is stronger...it will be mine for the taking." The man vanished into thin air. Areia stood there for a moment and then let the broadsword clatter noisily to the ground next to her as she sank to her knees and cried for the loss of her family.

END FLASHBACK

Areia woke up with a start and looked around. She sighed and calmed down when she realized she was in the room at the inn in Dali. She looked over and saw that Toric was sleeping soundly, his newly bought items laid out on the bedside table next to him.

Areia slowly lifted the covers and got out of bed. She made her way outside and sat down on the steps of the inn and watched the stars. She stuck her hand inside her shirt and got out the necklace that her father had given her before he had died four years ago. The pendant was made of a soft stone that had a green dragon made out of marble in the middle. She turned it over and read the inscription on the back.

_To all those in the family of Steiner,  
Whose hearts are pure and mind is set.  
This pendant gives its holders the power  
To protect their loved ones and the ones they serve.  
For the knights of old legend and myth  
Live on in this family.  
-Jergandia Steiner_

Areia studied the green marble dragon in the middle of the pendant with it's wings spread in mid-flight. She sighed and let the necklace fall against her shirt. When she had finally gone to Alexandria and asked for her Uncle everyone had told her that they didn't know where he was, and, after the accident with Tantalus they were more worried about Princess Garnet than the Captain of the Knights of Pluto. Well almost everyone was more worried about Garnet the Steiner. The Knights of Pluto, while worried about the Princess, were equally worried about their Captain and wished Areia luck on her journey in finding him. Then she had left Alexandria and made her way into Dali.

Then on the outskirts of Dali she had met Toric. Now she finally had a traveling partner...though people in Dali didn't seem to like him very much. Of course no matter where she traveled no one seemed very kind to her either, though, she never understood why.

Clouds started covering the stars as Areia rose from her sitting position on the steps. Areia walked to the door and, before walking in, she looked at the moon and stars again.

* * *

Alc: Well how did you like the first chapter...poor poor Areia. Don't you feel sorry for her? Toric's her only friend it seems. Well I hope you liked this chapter and like I said at the beginning I'll update as soon as possible...just please review! It would be really nice if you did, and tell me if I did anything wrong. 


	2. Staying in Lindblum

Alc: Hello again FF IX fans! Yes…all (counts) three of you it seems! LOL…just kidding, anyways I started playing FF IX (**_yes again :p_** ) Anyways, I got inspired to write more of my FF IX story…even though I have like three others I need to finish I just don't have the inspiration to write them, I'm sort of at a writers block; but, since summer vacation is here I'll try to update those some more. This chapter will probably be shorter or maybe even longer that the first…I'm not entirely sure… I'm sort of writing this as I go heh heh…oh boy. And now…TO ANSWER MY THREE REVIEWS!

Gyt: (bursts into snickers…and no not the candy, unfortunately…)

Alc: SHUT IT GYT…DON'T MAKE ME START ON **_YOUR_** STORIES! Now then…

Simply Crisis: Yes this _is_ pretty good if I do say so myself. (Gasps) YOU'RE READING MY FICS! (Dies, then suddenly Toric gives her a Phoenix Down)

Kleines Karfunkel: It's nice that someone likes my story…other than my friend Yo…whom I told about the story…HI YO! Ehem, yes anyway, it's cool that you want to know what happens next. And can I guess from your favorites section that you're a fan of Steiner? I LOVE STEINER!

Steiner: I-I have a fan? (Bursts into tears of happiness)

Alc: Awwwwwwwww…. SOMEBODY NEEDS A HUG! (Glomps Steiner)

Toric: (Scoots a little bit away) Yes, well…while my creator and uh author, uh yes well while Alc is busy hugging her second favorite character from FF IX, her first favorite is Vivi by the way, I will say the disclaimer.

DISCLAIMER: Alc Fluteo by no means owns anything remotely related to FF IX…other than a copy of the game and strategy guide, which she uses to help write her this story. She does; however, own Toric and Areia Steiner as well as the idea and plot of this story now if you would…READ AND ENJOY! Oh, and review while you're at it…please!

* * *

Areia had awoken a little after the crack of dawn and had been watching the sun peak over the mountains through their window when she heard Toric yawn and watched him slowly rise out of bed while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"G'morning." Toric yawned and turned to her. "What time is it? Can we have breakfast, I'm hungry."

Areia smiled. She had found out last night that Toric loved food and loved milk even more. Though he had been a little messy by the end of their dinner he was using silverware properly and not inhaling food, well, not entirely in any case.

She had also found out that the people in this town didn't seem to like her very much, but they disliked Toric even more than they did her. Of course pretty much no matter what town she traveled to people didn't seem to like her. However, she had never been able to find out why.

She watched as Toric made the bed and gathered up his things, making sure that everything was present and accounted for. He adjusted his hat, which she noticed still had some tears in it.

"_I'll have to fix his hat later._" She thought to herself.

Toric walked over to one of the two chests in the room and looked at it. "What's in here?" He asked as he looked at her.

"That's a treasure chest. It holds items…and it seems whom ever was here last either didn't want the items, didn't take them, or didn't have any room for them." Said Areia as Toric examined the two closed chests.

"W-Well can we take what's inside of them since the person before didn't want them?" Toric asked as he looked at Areia, yellowish/amber eyes shining. Areia smiled again and nodded yes. Toric laughed and opened the two chests which both contained glass bottles filled with potion.

Toric looked at the lightly glowing blue liquid. "Ooh, it's so pretty. Uh, what is it?" He asked as he held one of the bottles and put the other one in his bag with some of his other supplies.

Areia grabbed her bag and came over to him. "That is a Potion Toric. And this " she reached into her bag and brought out a bottle with a glowing red liquid. "…is an Ether. Potions heal your health and some wounds while Ethers heal your magic." Toric nodded and Areia put the Ether back in her bag.

"It's always good to have potions and ethers with you. Because when the bad monsters attack they can hurt you and potions can help heal those wounds." Toric nodded and put the potion in his bag.

He and Areia walked out of their room and into the lobby of the Inn. Areia noticed that the man at the sign-in desk was sleeping again. Toric squealed in delight and ran over to some of the tables near a small fountain. The tables had food all arranged on them for breakfast. There were pancakes, eggs, sausages, bacon, and some things Areia didn't quite recognize but they smelled pretty good. She and Toric ate breakfast together and they had cleaned their plates they left the Inn and Dali village.

* * *

Areia and Toric had been walking across Norlich Heights for a while when Toric asked.

"So…where are we going now?" Areia stopped and pointed to a gate.

"We're heading to South Gate. I have a Gate Pass, so we can pass through. After we pass through South Gate we'll be going to Lindblum." She started walking again as Toric trotted to keep up.

Areia noticed that they had been lucky so far in that they had only encountered a few monsters, which were easily defeated by her sword skills and Toric's magic.

The guard at the station halted them.

"You can't pass through without a Gate Pass." Areia reached into her bag and showed him the Gate Pass. He nodded his head and the gate was raised to let them pass.

"It's been a while since anyone's passed through here. Have a safe journey!" The gate closed behind them with a shuddering boom and both Toric and Areia jumped.

"Well, Lindblum here we come!" Said Areia as she and Toric started their walk through the South Gate Station.

* * *

Toric looked around him in awe at all of the buildings around him and at the airships flying in the sky. Areia put a hand on his shoulder.

"See Toric, this is Lindblum. This is the first time I've ever been here, but I've heard a lot about it." Toric continued to look around him. Areia patted his shoulder.

"Come on it's late…we should stop in at the local Inn." Toric nodded and followed behind her.

* * *

"Now Toric come on! You have to take a bath!" Areia stood over Toric like a mother would a child as he huddled in the corner holding his hat to his head.

"B-But what if someone sees me!" He said as he closed his eyes and shook his head. Areia almost laughed as she remembered that she had been like that when she was younger.

"No one will see you I'll make sure, but you have to take a bath otherwise you'll be all smelly and everything and no one will want to be near you!" She turned her back to him and stood there waiting for his answer. She knew that it was bad to tease him but she had to get him to take a bath.

She heard him stand up and walk up to her.

"O-Okay…b-but you have to make sure that no body sees." Areia turned around and looked at him. She noticed that there was a tinge of red in that inky blackness that Toric called a face. He was blushing!

She knelt down to his level and put her hand on his shoulder. "The bathroom is connected to our room and no one else's so no one can see, but I'll make sure just the same okay?" Toric nodded his head.

Areia then realized something. She didn't know what black mages looked like. Were they human? Did they have faces? Were their identities just hidden by black magic? She was still there thinking when she heard Toric say something.

"What? Sorry Toric did you say something?" She stood up and turned around to the bathroom door where Toric was standing.

"Y-Yeah, can you fix my hat for me? It's got some tears in it." Areia smiled.

"Sure, just leave it out here with your clothes. And I'll see if I can't fix it okay?" Toric nodded and closed the door to the bathroom. Areia turned her back to the door, out of courtesy, and heard rustling as she suspected Toric was taking off his clothes. She heard the door squeak as it opened and something was placed on the dresser next to the door as it was closed.

Areia turned around when she heard water running and found all of Toric's clothes piled on the dresser with his hat sitting on top of them. She grabbed Toric's hat and grabbed a few things from her bag and attempted to fix her black mage friend's hat.

* * *

Areia was growing a little annoyed. The strips of brown cloth that she had sewn on looked like stitches more than patches. Oh well, his hat was now fixed though and all she'd had to use was a few scraps of material that she had in her bag. She looked up and saw that Toric's pants were missing from his pile of clothes.

"What the…? Now where'd his pants go?" She said as she went over to his clothes. She heard some rustling in the bathroom and figured that Toric was putting them on.

"I guess he got them when I was fixing his hat. I'll just put it here on his jacket for him." Areia laid his hat down and went over to one of the beds in their room.

"I'll just…wait for him to get done so that I can take my own bath." She yawned and slowly her eyes closed as she fell asleep.

* * *

"Areia…Areia wake up! It's morning you need to wake up!" Areia's hand twitched and she grumbled.

"Hmph…stupid Mu that's my cake!" Toric looked at her with a quirked eyebrow for a little bit.

Then he poked her in the shoulder with his ungloved finger again. "Areia it's time to wake up! We're gonna miss breakfast!" Areia woke up with a start.

"What breakfast where?" She said as she looked around. When she saw Toric she jumped.

"Ah, who are you? Where's Toric?" The boy blinked at her and twisted the hat that was in his hands. Areia noticed the hat had some patches in it that looked oddly familiar.

"_Wait a second…I fixed Toric's hat last night and…oh my God this kid's Toric!_" The boy looked up at her.

"B-But _I'm_ Toric!" Said the boy. Areia shook her head.

"Yeah I just realized that it's just that….well uh, you um, you look a whole lot different you know." Toric shook his head yes. "Uh…wow…this is definitely something that'll wake you up in the morning." Areia stretched and sat up as Toric chuckled.

Areia took a good look at Toric. "So this is what you look like under that black shroud!" She scuffed up his hair as she smiled.

She noticed that he wasn't exactly the tallest kid in the world. He came up to about her chest and she stood at 5'4". She noticed that he looked about the age of a twelve year old. He had the most beautiful eyes that she had ever seen though. They were that seem yellowish/amber color that they normally were. He had black hair that reached to his shoulders. She noticed that he had attempted to tie it back with some string but hadn't been successful since it was kind of half hazardly hanging there in something resembling a knot.

Areia sighed. "Come here and let me fix your hair." Toric did and sat next to her on the bed. She sighed again and smiled as she lifted him up and set him in her lap.

Toric squeaked when he was lifted into the air. Areia eventually untied the string from his hair. She grabbed a spare piece of ribbon from her pocket and tied his hair into a loose ponytail.

"There! How do you like that? Go look in the mirror and tell me what you think Toric?" Toric hopped off of her lap and walked over to the mirror and looked at his hair. He smiled and turned to Areia.

"Thanks! I couldn't get it to go right…" He said as he laughed. He put his hat back on and almost immediately he looked like he had before, a faceless black mage.

Areia's looked at him. "Is that thing like automatic or something?" Toric looked at her with an eyebrow, "_or eye_" Areia thought, quirked again.

"What do you mean?" He asked. Areia sighed as she stood up and stretched again.

"What I mean is when you put on your hat does it automatically shroud your face?" Toric looked like he was in thought.

"Uh not really, I can sort of will it there. It's a lot like my magic." Areia crossed her arms over her chest.

"Okay...now I'm going to go take abath and you make sure no body sees okay? It's only fair since I did it for you!" Areia walked into the bathroom as Toric took watch.

* * *

A little while later Areia exited the bathroom after taking a bath.

"I feel a whole lot better!" She said as she combed her waist length brown hair. Toric laughed.

"You smell a lot better too!" He said jokingly. Areia looked at him and smiled.

"And just what is _that_ supossed to mean?" Toric nodded and said nothing as Areia picked up her bag.

"Now come on, lets see if we can find some more armor and stuff." Toric grabbed his bag and chased her out of their room.

"But we already bought stuff in Dali!" He said as he caught up to her. Areia thanked the Innkeeper and walked out into the busy street.

"Yeah but this place has really good armor and I need some gauntlets to cover the magic symbols on my hands." She said as she showed him the dark circles and symbols.

* * *

"No, I want the Iron Sword, Glass Armlet, Silver Gloves, Headgear, Iron Helm, and a Linen Cuirass." The shopkeeper of Dragoos' Armory looked at her strangely.

"That's an awful lot of equipment miss, especially for someone such as yourself. Women shouldn't have anything to do with weapons, they should be at home cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children." Areia crossed her arms over her chest then shook her fist at the man.

"Look just please give me the items…you're supposed to please your customers right? Well you can please me by giving me the stuff that I asked for!" The man continued to stare at her strangely and then he went and retrieved her weapons and armor for her.

"Here you go miss that'll be…3210 Gil." Areia paid the man and walked out of the store to meet Toric. He noticed her new items.

"Wow all of that must have cost a lot!" He said as Areia put on her Silver Gloves. She readjusted her new sword and she and Toric started walking towards the air cab terminal.

"Don't worry, I've got plenty of money." She and Toric boarded the air cab and proceeded to travel to the castle.

* * *

"I'm sorry but you cannot see the Regent he is…busy with more pressing matters than family reunions." Areia glared at the guard.

"Can you at least give him a message for me?" She asked. The guard in front of her thought and then nodded yes.

"Can you tell him that Adelbert Steiner's niece is looking for her uncle and that any help would be appreciated greatly?" The guard saluted and went into the hallway that led to the throne room.

Areia sighed as she sat next to Toric on a bench near by. Toric looked at her and put his gloved hand on her shoulder.

"He didn't seem to like you very much…but it's okay because I like you!" Areia smiled and hugged Toric.

"Thanks, Toric. A lot of people don't exactly seem to like me for some reason. I've never really found out why though." Toric looked at his feet, which were just barely touching the ground from the high bench.

"It's okay…people don't seem to really like me either. Even here…" Areia was about to consol him when the guard from earlier approached them.

"Regent Cid says that he will see you in the throne room ma'am." Areia stood up as Toric hopped off of the bench.

Areia gave him the Alexandrian salute, which she had learned from the Knights of Pluto while she had been there for a short while, and the guard saluted her back though with the Lindblum salute.

Areia walked down the hall and stopped in front of the door that led to the throne room. She took a deep breath as Toric stopped behind her.

"_Okay…here I go!_" She thought as she opened one of the doors.

Toric cowered behind her a little as they entered the massive throne room. He peeked around her waist and pointed at the throne.

"Look the King of Lindblum's a big bug!" Areia looked at him.

"What? Wow, that's a really big oglop!" The oglop seemed to glare at the two.

"I'M NOT AN OGLOP! Well I am, but I'm not!" Areia raised her eyebrow at him.

"Uh…wow you can talk. So do you know where Regent Cid is by any chance?" The oglop jumped in its seat.

"I AM REGENT CID!" Areia and Toric just stared.

"Well…that helps…" Said Areia. Regent Cid calmed down.

"Now my young lady, my guard has told me that you are Captain Steiner's niece. Well this is a surprise if only you had come a bit sooner." Areia looked at him as Toric scooted out from behind her.

"What do you mean sir?" Regent Cid looked at her.

"I'm afraid he and my niece Princess Garnet and your Uncle have been missing since yesterday my dear." Areia's eyes widened.

"M-Missing…WHAT DO YOU MEAN MISSING!" She started jumping up and down in anger. "I FINALLY CATCH UP TO HIM AND HE GOES MISSING! GAIA WHY DO YOU HATE ME SO! I-uh…" She looked to find Toric covering his ears and Regent Cid hanging on to his chair for dear life.

"Um…I'm sorry about that it's just that I've been searching for him for a long time and uh well…" The Regent waved his hand.

"Don't worry about it my dear. You know, you're more like him than you think." Areia looked at Cid.

"Really? What do you mean?" The Regent hopped out of his chair and walked towards her.

"Well, you have similar mannerisms to him from what little I've seen of you." Said Regent Cid as he looked at Toric.

"Have you heard about the attack on Burmecia?" Areia looked at him oddly.

"There was an attack on Burmecia? When?" Cid looked up at her.

"Yesterday…they said that they were being attacked by a mysterious force. And before he died the soldier described them…they look almost exactly like your friend here." Toric looked at him.

"Y-Y-You mean that they were attacked by black mages?" Toric asked warily. Cid nodded his head.

"Yes it appears so. A young boy of about nine or so was traveling with Garnet, he was also a black mage and he was surprised at the news too." Areia looked at Cid.

"Since they attacked Burmecia that can only mean that Lindblum is next Regent sir." Cid sighed.

"I'm afraid it seems to be that way. I'd like you to do something for me miss…what is your name by the way?" Areia gave the Alexandrian salute hurriedly and bowed slightly.

"My name is Areia Steiner, sir." Cid laughed a little.

"There's no need to be uptight…you'll always be welcome here in Lindblum as far as I'm concerned. Yes but as I was saying before I'd like you to do something for me. I'd like you to find Garnet…and if you cannot bring her back here would you please watch over her for me? I would appreciate it greatly." Areia nodded.

"Do you have any idea of where they went?" She asked.

"Sources say that a man in armor was seen going towards Grand Citadel South Gate. The only places that I can think that he would be going would be Dali or Treno…however, I would suspect it would be Treno rather than Dali since they have already been there so I would suggest going in the direction of Treno." Cid walked back over to his throne and sat down. I will tell the guards at the South Gate to be expecting you…so please do not hesitate to go. May you have a safe journey."

Areia and Toric bowed and then exited the throne room. Areia looked at Toric.

"Well Toric…it looks like we're heading for Dark City Treno!" She and Toric got into the air cab and went towards the South Gate.

Toric thought. "_Dark City Treno…why do I not like the sound of that?_"

* * *

Alc: Well…chapter 2 is finally done!

Toric: Everybody got to see what I looked like! (Tugs his hat down as far as he can)

Alc: AWWWWWWWW……..but you're so CUTE! (Glomps)

Toric: Y-Yeah I guess…(blushes)

Alc: Anyway…please read and review!


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